The Abbott government is the surprise that keeps on surprising. It chooses to advantage the rich and powerful, and chooses to disadvantage and punish ordinary Australians.
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It appears to have little understanding of the history that made this country, and appears to assume that the nation is a blank canvas on which it can sketch its neoliberal fantasies.
It appears to delight in its own callousness. It makes decisions that advantage foreign interests to the detriment of Australian interests. Its agenda is indistinguishable from the now infamous Institute of Public Affairs hit list, and its ministers appear to be hell bent on achieving their reforms, despite the fact that they have not convinced the electors that these are needed or justified.
Its anti-intellectualism and disdain for science and the arts appear to be worn as badges of pride.
The electors accepted at face value the earnest assurances about "no cuts" and "no surprises" at the last election, only to find that a hidden, largely sectional and faith-based ideological agenda was waiting to be slipped into place.
The government has claimed a number of wins, but how would one know when so much of the government's activity lacks transparency? Why would anyone trust this government? Lies, deceit, half-truths and sophistry now define Abbott's government.
What can ordinary Australians do about this and who will stand up for them?
Labor is preoccupied with remaining a small target, and chooses not to outline alternative policies.
It still seems not to understand why so many of its traditional voters rejected it in despair at the last election.
The last instance of highly effective personal protest by ordinary citizens that I can recall was when many indigenous Australians turned their backs on John Howard at the Sydney Opera House during the Reconciliation 2000 ceremony. He was clearly discomforted by it.
Something needs to be done to discomfort the Abbott government.